Idea comes from playing campaign PvE MP modes have teams of 8 working towards an objective be it protecting and fortifying an FoB in a firefight mode
note this idea would require use of unique maps at launch with different versions and load outs, like one time you could be dropped in a jungle base defense with sanghelli allies and swords tech, while the other it is with UNSC or even civilians, the enemies swapping between them.
MAP CONCEPTS
DELTA JUNGLES
location: delta halo
map type: jungle
sim lore: UNSC forces on delta halo have to deal with raids from time to time, at least they did before the created uprising now you will run simulations of these raids each mission is different and some may have horrors beyond your comprehension… or would we need to reload the flood module The Banished AI fried it.
Base map set up: Map is heavily forested with many high and low paths, the good news is this means enemy air and heavy vehicles are rare and only have a few direct paths, the down side ghosts and mongeese are common enemy vehicles.
Player side: players start with 2 FOBs which can call in weapons and vehicles for points, on this map Tanks and air vehicles are disabled. weapon call ins go from 100 for an upgraded sidekick, to 1000 for a dismounted chain gun, some times unique weapons are dropped by bosses and added to the FoB spawns (campaign unique weapons and some new ones.)
Random elements: enemy type, base turrets, and if the base is open or not. when open you have more vehicle enemies.
GLASSED LANDS
location: reach
map type: glassed mining facility with banished structures.
Sim lore: based on the scans of a banished outpost taken by blue team on a classified mission this simulation has you fighting for control of a banished mining op in order to take over what it is digging. Top spartans in this sim will be marked for the real deal when that time comes.
base map set up: a highly open map based around heavy vehicles, players start with a wraith or tank, and enemies will constnatly have vehicles be they human, banished or covenant.
Random elements: which gates are open, and if you have shades, pulse turrets, or scrap cannons on turret locations. some times hostile auto turrets are on the map bounds.
deep hydrogen
location: outer colony heavy water mining facility, comet based.(space background low grav.)
map type: space
map quirk: No allies, powered down space station (low grav)
Sim lore: Based on a mining facility a short jump from the training facility this is practice for the first line of defense if we are ever found. as such this is a unique situation for a fight. the astroid you are on is just barely larger then the moon and the facility the only way to disable several mines we have set just in case.
base map set up: a destroyed mining facility has many holes in it, unlike other maps there is no player side vehicle play on this map though you can hijack wasps or banshees if they come up, grapples must be bought from the FOB though.
Random elements: mostly if you are fighting human or covenant, one big thing is a large point defense laser that can be activated for 500 points, some times it works other times it is replaced with a manually controlled tank cannon.
GAMEPLAY STRUCTURE
like firefight, Outpost defense will be in groups of 7 waves with a boss event then reinforcement even after, every 3 sets you get a bonus wave which spawns free easy points either grunts or special AI XP cores.
waves go like this
1.combat
2.combat
3. event/combat
4. event /combat
5. weaker wave
6. heavy wave
7. heavy wave
boon: random allies, lives, or suppllies
Boss: heavy wave with 100% boss encounter.
reset to 1 with skulls +1 active skull.
Unlike firefight the covenant are not your only enemy like other modes in infinite their are random elements to the game, the main one is who you fight. with the following enemy types.
ENEMIES
BANISHED
the primary enemy type, these guys have all covenant species except buggers, and even have humans on some waves, human banished use plasma repeaters more then Ma40s.
Main quirks: highly agressive, tend to rush the players and try to take over the FOB point to prevent you from calling in supplies or reinforcements, this can be used to lay traps for them if you are willing.
Insurrectionists
While not a primary threat type these guys still put up a fight using UNSC tech against you, can you fight soldiers with MA5s or old DMRs? Have you ever seen a hog with a 90mm recoiless cannon on it? Wonder what would happen if some civilians battle bus a razorback with doubled armor and 4 tracker spankers. yeah these guys are insane.
main quirk: Hit scan weapons, and defensive movement, they will try to stay at a range.
covenant remnants
A rarer enemy type, consisting mostly of elites, grunts, jackals, and some times hunters. these focus more on destroying you then taking the facility which is both good and bad as it means
quirk: more phantoms, more grenades. The spam air support and tend to have grunts throwing grenades. grunts in their ranks are more likely to suicide with some even having plasma coil back packs that explode on their trigger or a good shot.
later forces
Created remnants
Lead by promethan knights and rogue smart AI’s the remnants are a strange hostile using exclusively forerunner weapons they fight a more defensive tanky fight, working to overwelm the spartans not with numbers but with skill. Watch out as even the basic soldier is on tier with a spartan.
quirk: low numbers with waves being around 10-12 units consisting of knights and soldiers, though the knights can spawn watchers, sentenals, and crawlers so watch out.
Flood forces feral
A low gre infestation, no intelegence behind it, this sim enemy is generally to test if spartans are mentally able to face the flood in one of the many quarantine zones where they exist.
quirk: infects allies, massive numbers. When you go against feral flood ally drops are doubled or trippled purely do to the fact they will turn becoming hostile.
Flood force: GRAVEMIND
the worst case setting, based on combat deta from delta halo, the arc, and other locations This is the hardest sim in the books, In a real situation nukes and swords glassing beams would be brought in first then spartans, elites, and ODST’s with no marine support there are no civilians on the ground in these situations.
quirk: pure forms, hostile civilians (protocal tests as they just become flood fodder if you try to save them.)
SIDE OBJECTIVES
Each wave has a chance to spawn side objectives, these might grant points in the form of AI orbs, weapon caches, or allies if completed. Just be careful as some are harder then others.
BOSS drop
info: a boss of the faction you are fighting has been dropped in (random HVT from a list.) watch out as many of them are buffed up in the program to be stronger then their IRL counterparts.
EVAC (in all but flood modes)
Info: a group of civilians or wounded marines are nearby head to an area on the outer edge of the map (generally a crashed pelican or razorback) and escort them to a FoB for evac, grants 4 supply pods dropped by the pelican as well as 250 points for everyone.
Power outage
the FOB has lost power for the round, find a power seed and restore it. temp disables FOB until round is complete or seed is put in gives points if complete.
Boon events
These come before a boss wave and grant bonuses, generally in the form of supplies or allies. these come in two types sub boons and main, you will always have one of each type.
Ammo supply
type: sub
Ammo boxes around the map refill
Weapon supply
type: sub
pods drop with random weapons, 6 pods total one always contains a power weapon
Equipment drop
type: sub
pods drop with random equipment and grenades enough for each player to get an equipment item and 4 grenades, though some times it might be all frags so yeah.
Power up drop
type: sub
pods drop with over shields and cloak.
MAIN BOONS
These are the main point of a boon wave
note: ally boons will not drop in if you have more then 12 allies on the map.
MARINES
A pelican will come into one of the FoB points and drop off 4 marines, each spartan can have 2 following.
ODSTS
ODST allies come in via drop pod, ODSTS have unique suppressed versions of the sidekick, bulldog, and Ma40 which have 1.65 headshot damage multipliers. yes you can trade for them.
Swords reinforcements
Swords of sanghellio’s elites are dropped in via a phantom or drop pods, drops in 4 elites and 6 grunts all have shields.
limit note: will not be dropped in if you have more then 6 allies on the map. instead will cycle to elite mercs
ELITE MERCS
drops in 4 elites from a phantom, on vehicle focused maps is a chance 2 will be in ghosts.
Wasp support
two allied wasps fly in and give air support until destroyed.
Scorpion drop
a scorpion tank is dropped for free at the FOB
experemental drop
A hanible scorpion from H5 is dropped on the FoB
Moddied weapons
Varriant weapons are dropped on the FoB all power weapons one for each player.
AUTO SENTRY DROP
an H4 style auto sentry is dropped it can be moved around the map like carrying a fusion core. can be repaired for 50 points doesn’t count against ally limit.